Method of a player putting a golf ball

ABSTRACT

A method of a golfer putting a golf ball along a target line to a destination hole on a putting green of a golf course or practice area includes grasping the grip of a selected putter with the golfer&#39;s nondominant hand between the nondominant thumb and the nondominant forefinger to create a putter pivot point, grasping the grip of the putter with the golfer&#39;s dominant hand below the position of the nondominant hand, addressing the golf ball, rotating the putter about the putter pivot point with the dominant hand to make a back stroke, and releasing the dominant hand from the grip to make a forward stroke to make striking contact with contact the golf ball.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of the filing dated under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application For Patent Ser. No. 61/179,489 filed on May 19, 2009, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to a method of a player putting a golf ball.

BACKGROUND

The sport of golf is played on a playing area referred to as a golf course. The golf course includes a number of sequentially numbered holes. Each of the holes of the golf course has an initial ball striking location, referred to as the “tee” or “tee-box”, a putting green containing a hole, and an area extending between the tee-box and putting green, referred to as the “fairway”. The “rough” are areas that flank the fairways on each hole of the golf course. The “fringe” is an additional area that surrounds the putting green.

While playing a round of golf, players strike a golf ball with a golf club to advance the ball from an initial ball striking location to one of several numbered putting holes. During normal a round of golf, a player usually plays 18 sequentially numbered holes that are laid out on the golf course. The object of the game of golf, on each hole, is to advance the golf ball from the initial ball striking location into the hole in the fewest number of strokes.

A player usually carries several different golf clubs during a round of golf. Each golf club is identified as a wood, iron, or putter according to its ball-striking portion. A wood is generally used to strike the golf ball from the initial ball striking location (ie, the tee-box), or to strike a golf ball to advance it a long distance. Irons are generally used after the initial shot on each hole to advance the golf ball closer to the putting green. A putter is used to strike a ball from a location on the putting green into the hole. In the case of a putter, the ball-striking portion includes a structure to strike the ball such that the ball should move along an intended path along the putting green surface and remain on the green surface throughout its entire travel into the putting hole. Putting is one of the most difficult and unforgiving aspects of golf. Players spend a significant portion of their practice time in perfecting their putting to reduce the number of putts needed during the round of golf to get the golf ball into the hole on each hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Without limiting the scope of the present method as claimed below and referring now to the drawings and figures:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a player performing a step according to the present method, not to scale;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a player performing a step according to the present method, not to scale;

FIG. 3 is a close-up front elevation view of a player grasping a putter according to the present method, not to scale;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of a player performing a step according to the present method, not to scale;

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of a player performing a step according to the present method, not to scale;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of a player performing a step according to the present method, not to scale; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of a player performing a step according to the present method, not to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present method involves a method of a player (100) putting a golf ball (50). The method enables a significant advance in the state of the art. The illustrative embodiments of the method accomplish this by new and novel techniques that are configured in unique and novel ways and which demonstrate previously unavailable but desirable capabilities. The description set forth below in connection with the drawings is intended merely as a description of illustrative embodiments of the method, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present method may be performed or utilized. The description sets forth the designs, functions, means, and methods of implementing the method in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and features may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the present description.

Referring general to FIGS. 1-7, the present method is directed to a method of a player (100) putting a golf ball (50) toward a target (60) along a target line (70). The present method is designed to achieve an optimum putting stroke to facilitate lower overall golf scores. It is well known in the field of golf that putting accounts for roughly forty percent of the total number of strokes a player (100) makes in a round of golf. The present method provides a number of benefits that prior art putting methods have failed to recognize and understand.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 7, the player (100) has an abdomen (101), an abdomen axis (102), a vertical shoulder plane (103) passing through a nondominant shoulder (104) and a dominant shoulder (105), a pectoral line (106), a nondominant arm (110), a nondominant elbow (111), a nondominant hand (112), a nondominant thumb (113), a nondominant forefinger (114), a nondominant palm (115), and a dominant hand (122). In the embodiments illustrative in the drawings and figures, the nondominant parts of the player (100) are on their left, while the dominant parts of the player (100) are on their right. These embodiments correspond to a player (100) who uses a conventional right-handed putting stroke. However, the present method is not limited to a conventional right-handed putting stroke, as the method may just as easily be employed by a player (100) who normally uses a conventional left-handed putting stroke where the nondominant parts of the player (100) are on their right, and the dominant parts of the player (100) are on their left.

As seen in FIG. 1, the abdomen axis (102) is an imaginary vertical line that runs through the abdomen (101). The abdomen axis (102) basically bisects the player (100) down the middle, with the nondominant parts of the player (100) on one side, and the dominant parts of the player (100) on the other side. The pectoral line (106) is an imaginary horizontal line that runs across the front of the player (100) below the pectoral muscles. It should be noted that the pectoral line (106) will generally be below the player's (100) nipples.

Still referring to FIG. 1, according to the method a player (100) selects a suitable putter (200). The putter (200) includes a shaft (210) having a shaft axis (212), a proximal end (214), and a distal end (216). A grip (220) is secured to the proximal end (214), and a club head (230) is secured to the distal end (216). The club head (230) may be any of a number of different types, such as a blade, mallet-style, perimeter weighted, offset, alignment type, insert type, and combinations thereof. However, one with skill in the art will appreciate that the present method may be carried out by selecting a putter (200) having virtually any type of club head (230).

After the step of selecting the putter (200) is completed, the next step of the present method comprises grasping the grip (220) of the putter (200) with the nondominant hand (112) between the nondominant thumb (113) and the nondominant forefinger (114) to create a putter pivot point (300), as best seen in FIG. 3. When grasping the grip (220) with this particular configuration, a putter pivot point (300) is created between the nondominant thumb (113) and the nondominant forefinger (114). The creation of the putter pivot point (300) provides a point about which the putter (200) may rotate during the putting stroke. The putter pivot point (300) is located below the pectoral line (106), as seen in FIG. 4. This method of grasping the grip (220) of the putter (200) effectively minimizes or eliminates all putting errors that can be attributed to the nondominant hand (112), such as wrist cupping that can lead to putts being pushed to the right of the target line (70), and wrist cocking that can lead to putts being pulled to the left of the target line (70).

According to certain illustrative embodiments of the method, the grip (220) may be grasped with the nondominant hand (112) at a proximal most end, as seen in FIG. 3. By grasping the grip (220) at a proximal most end, the entire mass of the putter (200) is utilized as the putter (200) rotates about the putter pivot point (300) during the putting stroke.

When grasping the grip (220) with the nondominant hand (112), the nondominant hand (112) is generally positioned against the abdomen (101) with the nondominant palm (115) facing upward such that the nondominant arm (110) is bent at the nondominant elbow (111), as seen in FIG. 4. According to certain illustrative embodiments of the method, the player (100) may first put the nondominant arm (110) in the proper position prior to grasping the grip (220) with the nondominant hand (112). These steps are clearly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the player (100) may begin by placing the nondominant elbow (111) against the left side of the player (100), directly below the nondominant shoulder (104), with the nondominant hand (112) extending away from the player (100) such that the nondominant palm (115) is facing upwards. This will result in the nondominant arm (110) being bent at the nondominant elbow (111) at approximately a 90 degree angle. The nondominant hand (112) is rotated toward the abdomen (101) at approximately a 90 degree angle until the nondominant hand (112) abuts the abdomen (101), as seen in FIG. 2. In this position, the nondominant palm (115) remains facing upward, and the nondominant thumb (113) is facing away from the player (100). After this position is reached, the player (100) may continue the method by grasping the grip (220) with the nondominant hand (112) as described above.

Now, referring to FIG. 4, the next step in the present method involves the player (100) grasping the grip (220) with the dominant hand (122). The player (100) generally grasps the grip (220) with the dominant hand (122) at a position that is below the position of the nondominant hand (112). As seen in FIG. 4, the player (100) is grasping the grip (220) with the dominant hand (122) using a conventional style grip. However, one with skill in the art will recognize that various styles of grips may be employed with the dominant hand (122) including, but not limited to, a claw type grip, a finger down type grip (where the dominant forefinger points straight down the side of the grip), and a saw type grip. Of course, the player (100) should ultimately choose the type of grip to employ with the dominant hand (122) that is the most comfortable and effective in carrying out the method.

After the player (100) has grasped the grip (220) with both the nondominant hand (112) and the dominant hand (122), the player (100) may proceed with addressing the golf ball (50) such that the vertical shoulder plane (103) is substantially parallel to the target line (70), as best seen in FIG. 7. In addressing the golf ball (50), the player (100) may assume a desired stance and ground the putter (200) behind the golf ball (50) in preparation for making a putting stroke, as seen in FIG. 4. However, the player (100) need not ground the putter (200), but may instead allow the club head (230) to slightly hover above the playing surface.

As mentioned above, at address, the player (100) is positioned such that the vertical shoulder plane (103) is substantially parallel to the target line (70). The vertical shoulder plane (103) is an imaginary plane that extends vertically from the ground that passes through a point on the nondominant shoulder (104) and a point on the dominant shoulder (105), as seen in FIG. 7. Assuming a position where the vertical shoulder plane (103) is substantially parallel to the target line (70) ensures that the player (100) and the club head (230) are squared to the target line (70), which increases the likelihood that the player (100) will hole a putt. However, one with skill in the art will appreciate that the present method may also be practiced with the vertical shoulder plane (103) positioned slightly to the left or right of the target line (70).

According to a certain illustrative embodiment, the player (100) may address the golf ball (50) with the putter pivot point (300) positioned at least 2 inches from the abdomen axis (102), as seen in FIG. 4. According to this embodiment, the player (100) may grasp the grip (220) as described above, and then slide the nondominant hand (112) horizontally across the abdomen (101) to a position such that the putter pivot point (300) is at least 2 inches from the abdomen axis (102). Positioning the putter pivot point (300) in this fashion ensures that the player (100) assumes a stance where the golf ball (50) is towards the front of the stance, or at least in front of the center of the stance. Making sure the golf ball (50) is towards the front of the stance helps promote a putting stroke that results in the club head (230) returning to a position that is square to the target line (70) at impact, and improves the player's (100) ability to view the ball (50) and target line (70). Even further, in yet another variation, the player (100) may address the golf ball (50) with the putter pivot point (300) positioned closer to the nondominant armpit than it is to the abdomen axis (102). This setup generally results in the putter pivot point (300) being near the inside of the nondominant foot.

In executing the present method, the player (100) should be slightly bent at the waist, as is customary with conventional putting strokes. The bending at the waist can be thought of in terms of spine angle (SA). The spine angle (SA) may be defined as the angle at which the player (100) is bent at the waist from the vertical, which is illustrated in FIG. 7. According to certain illustrative embodiments of the present method, the player (100) maintains a spine angle (SA) of at least 25 degrees from the vertical. Maintaining a constant spine angle (SA) throughout the putting stroke will lead to a more consistent putting stroke. If a player (100) has a spine angle (SA) that is too upright, the putting stroke will have an accurate path that can lead to putts that are pushed to the right or pulled to the left of the target line (70). Referring now to FIG. 5, after the player (100) has addressed the golf ball (50), the player (100) may proceed with rotating the putter (200) about the putter pivot point (300) with the dominant hand (122) to make a back stroke. In this step, the club head (230) is displaced a selected distance from the golf ball (50) depending on whether the golf ball (50) is located close to the target (60) or far from the target (60). While the player (100) uses the dominant hand (122) to rotate the putter (200) about the putter pivot point (300), the nondominant hand (112) maintains substantially the same position. When the nondominant hand (112) maintains a constant position there is much less of a chance that the putter pivot point (300) moves during the stroke. Movement of the putter pivot point (300) may cause the club head (230) to be displaced along a line that is outside or inside of the target line (70), which would substantially decrease the probability of the player (100) holing a putt.

With reference now to FIG. 6, once the player (100) has completed the back stroke, the player (100) may continue to the next step of the present method by releasing the dominant hand (122) from the grip (220) of the putter (200) such that gravitational force rotates the putter (200) about the putter pivot point (300) to make a forward stroke. When the forward stroke is executed, the club head (230) makes striking contact with the golf ball (50) thereby propelling the golf ball (50) along the target line (70) toward the hole (60).

As seen in FIG. 6, the dominant hand (122) is not in contact with any portion of the putter (200) when the club head (230) strikes the golf ball (50). In fact, the dominant hand (122) is not in contact with any portion of the putter (200) at any point during the forward stroke. Since the dominant hand (122) does not contact the putter (200) during the forward stroke, any putting errors primarily caused by the dominant hand (122) in a traditional putting method will not occur in the present method. For example, when putting with a conventional stroke a player (100) may unconsciously use the dominant hand (122) to try to steer the golf ball (50) due to a lack of confidence in their putting stroke or their selected target line (70). This can result in putts that are pushed severely to the right of the target line (70) or pulled severely to the left of the target line (70). The present method allows the player (100) to avoid these types of putting errors caused by the dominant hand (122) by effectively eliminating the dominant hand (122) from the forward stroke.

According to this embodiment, the forward stroke is executed by allowing only gravitational force to rotate the putter (200) about the putter pivot point (300). Thus, after the player (100) completes the back stroke, the putter (200) will have a predetermined amount of potential energy depending on the mass of the club head (230) and the height that it is raised during the back stroke. When the player (100) releases the dominant hand (122) from the grip (220), gravitational force acts upon the putter (200) and converts the potential energy into kinetic energy, which causes the putter (200) to rotate about the putter pivot point (300). This illustrative embodiment is well-suited for shorter length putts.

According to an alternative embodiment, the method may further include the step of exerting a forward force on the putter (200) with the dominant hand (122) as the dominant hand (122) releases the grip (220). Thus, when the dominant hand (122) releases the grip (220), a combination of the forward force and gravitational force rotates the putter (200) about the putter pivot point (300) to make the forward stroke. In essence, after the player (100) executes the back stroke, the player (100) uses the dominant hand (122) to push or throw the putter (200) towards the golf ball (50) just prior to releasing the grip (220) to create the force that pivots the putter (200) about the putter pivot point (300). This illustrative embodiment is well-suited for longer length putts.

A player (100) may execute the present method using nearly any type of conventional putter (200), however, according to certain embodiments, a heavier than normal putter may be used in the method. Typically, a conventional putter head has a mass of approximately 6 ounces. One embodiment of the present method utilizes a putter (200) having a club head (230) having a mass of at least 14 ounces. Such a large mass for a putter club head (230) allows the putter (200) to smoothly swing, in a pendulum-like manner, toward the ball (50) for impact, and transfer more energy to the ball (50) at impact. Further, the shaft (210) may be weighted to supplement the mass of the club head (230) and aid in a repeatable controlled forward stroke.

In yet another illustrative embodiment, the putter (200) may have a lie angle of 80 degrees or less. The lie angle is typically defined as the angle created between the shaft axis (212) and a horizontal plane along the ground when the club head (230) is soled, viewing the face of the club head (230) straight on. However, the lie angle may also be discussed in terms of a divergence angle (DA), which is the measurement of the divergence from the vertical of the shaft axis (212), and is best seen in FIG. 7. For example, if the divergence angle (DA) created between the vertical and the shaft axis (212) is 10 degrees, then the putter (200) would have a lie angle of 80 degrees. The rules promulgated by the United States Golf Association currently require a divergence angle (DA) of at least 10 degrees for a so-called conforming putter (200).

In a further illustrative embodiment, the putter (200) may have a length of 36 inches or less. As such, the present method may be practiced with conventional putters, which typically have lengths ranging from 33 inches to 35 inches. By having a length of 36 inches or less, the player (100) will be able to execute the method while using a conventional putter and a conventional stance. While not completely excluded from use in the practice of the present method, the so-called long putters, which typically have lengths ranging from 45 to 54 inches, may not by well-suited for executing the method. However, the present method enables a conventional putter to obtain the benefits typically accorded to so-called belly putters and long putters, such as a pendulum-like putting stroke and limited involvement of the nondominant hand (112) during the putting stroke, just to name a couple.

In a further embodiment, the method utilizes a putter (200) in which the shaft (210) is connected to the club head (230) such that the shaft distal end (216) is joined to the putter (200) at least one inch behind the face of the putter (200). Such a design allows the player using the present method to have an unobstructed view of the ball (50) and the face of the club head (230) at address. In an even further embodiment, the putter (200) is balanced such that if the putter (200) is resting across the arms of a chair that the face of the club head (230) point upward toward the sky. This balancing encourages the proper swing path as the putter (200) freely rotates about the putter pivot point (300).

Numerous alterations, modifications, and variations of the illustrative embodiments disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art and they are all anticipated and contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the instant disclosure. For example, although specific illustrative embodiments have been described in detail, those with skill in the art will understand that the preceding embodiments and variations can be modified to incorporate various types of substitute and or additional or alternative materials, relative arrangement of elements, and dimensional configurations. Accordingly, even though only few variations of the present method are described herein, it is to be understood that the practice of such additional modifications and variations and the equivalents thereof, are within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined in the following claims. The corresponding structures, materials, acts, methods, processes, techniques, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, acts, methods, processes, or techniques for performing the functions in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. 

1. A method of a player (100) putting a golf ball (50) toward a target (60) along a target line (70), wherein the player has an abdomen (101), an abdomen axis (102), a vertical shoulder plane (103) passing through a nondominant shoulder (104) and a dominant shoulder (105), a pectoral line (106), a nondominant arm (110), a nondominant elbow (111), a nondominant hand (112), a nondominant thumb (113), a nondominant forefinger (114), a nondominant palm (115), and a dominant hand (122) comprising: a) selecting a putter (200) having a shaft (210) with a shaft axis (212), a proximal end (214), and a distal end (216), wherein a grip (220) is secured to the proximal end (214) and a club head (230) is secured to the distal end (216); b) grasping the grip (220) with the nondominant hand (112) between the nondominant thumb (113) and the nondominant forefinger (114) to create a putter pivot point (300), wherein the nondominant hand (112) is positioned against the abdomen (101) with the nondominant palm (115) facing upward such that the nondominant arm (110) is bent at the nondominant elbow (111); c) grasping the grip (220) with the dominant hand (122) below the position of the nondominant hand (112); d) addressing the golf ball (50), wherein the vertical shoulder plane (103) is substantially parallel to the target line (70); e) rotating the putter (200) about the putter pivot point (300) with the dominant hand (122) to make a back stroke, wherein the club head (230) is displaced a selected distance; and f) releasing the dominant hand (122) from the grip (220) such that gravitational force rotates the putter (200) about the putter pivot point (300) to make a forward stroke such that the club head (230) contacts the golf ball (50) thereby propelling the golf ball (50) along the target line (70).
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the player (100) maintains a spine angle (SA) of at least 25 degrees from the vertical.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the putter (200) has a lie angle of 80 degrees or less.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the grip (220) is grasped with the nondominant hand (112) at a proximal most end.
 5. The method of claim 1, further including the step of exerting a forward force on the putter (200) with the dominant hand (122) as the dominant hand (122) releases the grip (220), such that when the dominant hand (122) releases the grip (220), a combination of the forward force and gravitational force rotates the putter (200) about the putter pivot point (300) to make the forward stroke.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the putter (200) has a length of 36 inches or less.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the putter pivot point (300) is at least 2 inches from the abdomen axis (102).
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the putter pivot point (300) is at least 4 inches from the abdomen axis (102).
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the putter pivot point (300) is located below the pectoral line (106).
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the club head (230) has a mass of at least 14 ounces.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the club head (230) has a mass of at least 16 ounces. 